1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an improved type of neck structure for a stringed instrument, viz. guitars, banjos and the like, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, it relates to the use of a specific construction material and neck configuration design that brings about improved string response and quality of sound.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has seen a number of different types of neck structure for stringed instruments ranging from the more traditional solid wood construction through a number of different laminate and combination material structures which generally embodied certain metal structures acting in reinforcement of wood or plastics. U.S. Pat. No. 1,596,763 provides an early showing of a T-bar reinforcement construction with the metal reinforcing component used in combination with conventioal wooden parts. While the metal reinforcing bars provide a great amount of strength, they are generally unsatisfactory in terms of vibratory response. U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,023 provides teaching of another metal/wood composite structure. In this case, the stiffener component is formed from aluminum or magnesium and the resultant deleterious effects of metal are again evident. In like manner, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,304,277; 3,911,778; 4,119,009; and 4,121,492 teach the use of a metal reinforcing bar, generally in a T or channel shape, and such reinforcing bar is used in combination with another aesthetically or tactilely more pleasing material such as wood. While the use of metal stiffening members received considerable attention, they were never considered fully satisfactory due to environmental effects and response to changes in temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,476 provided a teaching of an elongated stiffening member formed from a laminate of strips, one of which might be formed of a composite material consisting of high modulous of elasticity filaments such as graphite or boron embedded in a resin matrix. This teaching also contemplates the use of a plurality of strengthening strips as arrayed in spaced configuration along the instrument neck. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,948 in the name of W. A. Turner, the inventor in the present application, provides teaching of a stringed musical instrument which attempts to achieve high dimensional stiffness of the neck member through the use of graphite composite to form the neck member in a tubular shape. While this graphite composite neck provided somewhat improved tonal qualities and resistance to environmental effects, it required an inordinate amount of machining and finishing to achieve final assembly.